1. [From the Usenet group
alt.folklore.urban] To utter a posting on Usenet
designed to attract predictable responses or flames; or, the
post itself. Derives from the phrase "trolling for newbies"
which in turn comes from mainstream "trolling", a style of
fishing in which one trails bait through a likely spot hoping for a
bite. The well-constructed troll is a post that induces lots of
newbies and flamers to make themselves look even more clueless than
they already do, while subtly conveying to the more savvy and
experienced that it is in fact a deliberate troll. If you don't
fall for the joke, you get to be in on it. See also YHBT. 2.
An individual who chronically trolls in sense 1; regularly posts
specious arguments, flames or personal attacks to a newsgroup,
discussion list, or in email for no other purpose than to annoy
someone or disrupt a discussion. Trolls are recognizable by the
fact that the have no real interest in learning about the topic at
hand - they simply want to utter flame bait. Like the ugly
creatures they are named after, they exhibit no redeeming
characteristics, and as such, they are recognized as a lower form
of life on the net, as in, "Oh, ignore him, he's just a troll."
3. [Berkeley] Computer lab monitor. A popular campus job for CS
students. Duties include helping newbies and ensuring that lab
policies are followed. Probably so-called because it involves
lurking in dark cavelike corners.

Some people claim that the troll (sense 1) is properly a narrower category
than flame bait, that a troll is categorized by containing
some assertion that is wrong but not overtly controversial. See
also Troll-O-Meter.

The trolls were mythical creatures from Norse mythology. In the tales and adventures in Norse and old English mythology you clearly see the resemblance. Trolls are both bigger than men and usually stronger, plus - they are stupid and ungovernable, greedy and cruel. Yet sometimes it is told that they know many things that men do not know, that they are benevolent, honorable, true as steel, and heavily misunderstood creatures.

However, their anger is terrible if they are crossed, and they pursue a cruel revenge. Still, if someone shows them gratitude and kindness, they are likely to show just as much gratitude and return the favor. Trolls are recognised by their supposedly greenish being, but they also come in colors from grey to black, red to brown. Big they are, yessiree. Some shapes include, from Norse tales; One head, two heads, three heads, four arms, or just a hella big stomach you can hide in (if eaten). They are unlikely to chew you if they only posess one tooth, but their stench can kill a thousand people. It is told they like cheese or meat (Christian men's blood being their favorite).

On their height; they should be bigger than any normally sized person, i.e me. Anything to about the size of a big tree (hey, they have trees on their noses!). There are tales about mini-trolls, such trolls are not as common as the regular heavy grunts. They live in the woods, the waters and deep forests. They cook stew, have caves in the mountains, and they can smell blood from afar.
If you are so unlucky as to meet a troll, always have Acid or Fire arrows available in your quiver!

They were still there when the first Norwegian came strolling along with his belongings. He found them in different coloursshapes and sizes. There were big ones, tall ones, standard sized ones and mini ones, all with tails and only 8 fingers and 8 toes. At first the Norwegians were not too particular about housing; they lived in caves. But as the trolls too preferred to live inside the mountains, they had to fight the Norwegians for it. Now and then the Norwegians won....but just as often they lost.

The Vikings were great sea-faring people, roaming all over the oceans. The Vikings dreaded only one thing, the Sea Troll , a seacousin on the land Troll. It was a huge monster that would crush and swallow huge ships whole! Then there was his brother, Nokken , who lives in the slimy dark bottomless pools. Or his other brother, Fossegrimen , who lives in the waterfalls. He is the musical one of the bunch, and the one who teaches the fiddle players of Folklore who to play their tunes. But to do so they must offer him a goat, the fatter the better.

As time went on some very brave monks came over from England to bring Christianity to the Vikings. But knowing their reputation, they didn't believe that they could convert them with godliness, so they brought with them a rather sinister character and planned to use him to scare Christianity into the Vikings. But the Norwegians took this sinister character to their bosom, named him Old Erik , dressed hi up as an official (tax collector?) and in this way he wonder about collecting souls. He is easily recognizable, having horns and a beard like a goat, one normal foot, and one cloven hoof. He is believed to be closely related to the trolls, maybe the master of them all.
The Norwegians try to cheat and fool Old Erik as often as they can. But usually Old Eric gets what he is after.

As time went on the standard of living improved, even for he trolls. Many of them moved out of the hills and into castles, far away over the mountains, east of the sun and west of the moon. But the trolls felt kind of lonely living on their own, so they took up the habit of kidnapping princesses. They hold them as hostages, until the Ashlad, or some other prince, comes along. He cuts off the Trolls 1,2,3,6,9 or even 12 heads, rescues the princess, and in due course gets her and half the kingdom as a reward.

As time went even further on, the small trolls, living in the hills and under the ground, became envious of the Norwegians and formed their own world, a copy of the human one, complete with cattle, farms, churches, etc., etc., etc. They are called The Underground People . They are small, not very beautiful themselves, but they have very beautiful daughters, called Hulder . She is very well equipped where it counts to lure any innocent farm boy underground, where he is bewitched, and must stay as her husband forever. But just as a coin has two sides, so does a hulder. She has a tail like a cow. Once in a while a hulder falls so much in love with a boy that she is willing to marry him in a Christianchurch. She then loses her tail, and becomes the best wife a man can have. When the Hulder grows older (some 400-500 years) she changes and becomes a Trollkjerring . She is then able to take her head off and carry it under her arm, why she does this no one knows.

Now some of the underground people installed them selves as house Gods in the Norwegians homes, they harass the homeowners quite a bit, but look after cattle well. So if you meet a very small, strange person in a Norwegian home, you may have just met a Nisse . At Christmas the Norwegians give him a bowl of porridge, he is on Christmas known as the Julenisse .

If a troll attacks you there are several thing that you can do:
1. If you are smart you can outwit him.
2. You can use your faith and the cross against him.
3.The old silver bullet trick works as well.
4. You can also throw steel over his head so he disappears.
5. If methods 1,2,3 and4 fail your only hope is to run until daybreak, the troll will either stop chasing you or burst.

Stupidtourists often ask if they still exist. Just take a trip out into the nearest wood some dark and a stormy night, and then you will make up your mind, so Beware!

Picture a respectable family, just getting back from some kind of wholesome family activity somewhere. Two parents heading from their little car into their little house, and two little boys chasing a terrified little cat across the street while their father laughs. They claim to own the cat, but they don't seem to do much for it, beyond leaving a little food on their porch, and letting their sons chase it around sometimes.

The cat's eyes are an almost golden color, as is the fur, still beautiful despite obvious neglect. Under the luxurious fur, it's a gaunt little body with a festering wound on one side of its neck. Seems the respectable people can't be bothered to take it to a veterinarian. Over time, its condition is deteriorating as the infection in the wound grows worse. The expression in the eyes has always been weary, and almost always afraid, but now it's often blank and distant, as if the cat somehow knows the end is coming.

Gradually things begin to change. The infection starts to slowly decline. The cat's eyes have a little more focus. And one day, the fur around the wound has been trimmed short, the wound stitched up by a real veterinarian. What happened? Did the respectable people locate a conscience somewhere? No, they had nothing to do with it.

There's a human being who's even more invisible than the half-stray cat. He passes through the neighborhood looking for discarded empty bottles and cans, because he survives partly on the nickel each he can get for returning them. For months he has set aside part of this money, using some of it to buy antibiotics for the infection, and finally saved up enough to pay a veterinarian to properly treat the cat's wound. This man lacks a home, but he is capable of compassion, determination, and a truer nobility of spirit than many respectably wealthy people.

Maybe the respectable people in the nice little house honestly believe they don't have enough money to care for the cat. Their neglect is still a failure to fulfill the moralresponsibility of claiming to own any other living being.

Of course this kind of story doesn't prove anything about the great economic questions and social problems that lead to homelessness. But maybe it's enough to make you wonder, sometimes, who the monsters really are.

The man who helped the cat was not me. Just someone I happened to meet once.

1. (v.) [From the Usenet group alt.folklore.urban] To make a post, comment, or remark designed to attract predictable and/or angry responses; or, the post itself. The well-constructed troll is a post, comment, or remark that induces many angry or predictable responses, while subtly conveying to the more savvy and experienced that it is in fact a deliberate troll. If you don't fall for the joke, you get to be in on it, which often includes participation.

2. (n.) An individual who chronically, or even casually trolls in sense 1; regularly, or even casually, posts, or makes remarks or comments meant for little other purpose than to do any of the following:

Annoy, manipulate, or enrage others.

Disrupt, divert, or end a conversation, argument, or something of that nature.

Gain personal satisfaction or amusement.

Distribute bad, misleading, or malicious advice.

3. (n.) The comment(s), post(s), or remark(s) that are intended to bait others into “biting”.

Etymology: From the phrase “trolling for suckers” which in turn comes from “trolling”, a style of fishing in which one trails bait through a likely spot hoping for a bite. This draws many parallels with trolling: a troll posts 'bait' where they are likely to get a 'bite'.

Note: Some people claim that the troll (in sense 1) is a smaller category than flamebait, and that a troll is categorized by containing some assertion that is wrong but not overtly controversial. Others maintain that this merely constitutes a 'sophisticated' troll.

This definition is from my understanding of the word as a troll raised primarily on IRC. For more, I would suggest reading any well-known and controversial forum. If you want to deal with them, read: Note to self: Ignore the troll.